Town of Chance: Sweet Caroline (The Dare 5)

“Oh God, here we go again. Need I remind you of the time you thought about getting implants?”

“No, Caroline, don’t remind me,” she said as she opened the door to the diner.

Caroline immediately felt self-conscious as every person in the place looked at them, but she focused immediately on the uniforms and two men sitting at the front table staring at them. Then it clicked. The state trooper. She could have sworn that his eyes lit up at the sight of her and she looked at her sister.

“That’s the trooper.” Shelby’s eyes widened.

“Hello, York, C.J.,” Shelby said and started walking toward them. Caroline grabbed her sister’s arm.

“What are you doing?”

“Making sure they’re not suspicious,” she whispered and planted on a huge smile.

“I think I owe you a thank you, York. You helped my sister change a flat tire on her way into town a couple of weeks ago.”

Both men stood up.

“Sure did. So this is your sister? How are you, Natalie? It’s nice to see you.”

“Natalie?” Shelby said and looked at Caroline. Caroline felt her cheeks heat and she was probably as red as a beet.

She stared up at both men who towered over her small size as C.J. shook her hand and held it a moment longer than normal.

“It’s Caroline, actually.” She pulled back and C.J. squinted his eyes and appeared to be analyzing her and looking her over. She suddenly felt as if she were under a microscope and on edge. York shook her hand.

“Caroline, huh?”

She glanced at her sister who raised one of her eyebrows at her, indicating she needed to clear this up, not Shelby.

“I’m sorry. I tend to be a little suspicious of people and well since I didn’t know you I felt compelled to lie about my name. I was being cautious, I guess, traveling alone and all.”

He held her gaze a moment and then slowly released her hand. Her heart was hammering inside of her chest. These men were very attractive and very big. She stepped back and leaned into Shelby.

“Well, I can understand being cautious. Especially traveling alone and not knowing anyone. I’m certain your sister will assure you that my brother and I are trustworthy,” he said and she gave a small smile.

“They sure are. How is your brother, Hunter? I haven’t seen him since the welcome home party at Spencer’s a few weeks ago.”

“He’s doing well. Thanks for asking,” C.J. said. Caroline wondered if her sister liked these men. The thought made her feel jealous, which was completely stupid and insane. Instantly her broken arm ached. She scratched her upper arm right where the cast ended and the skin began as she looked over Deputy C.J. Mantel. He had gorgeous light green eyes and a scruff of hair along his cheeks and chin. It made him appear rugged, country in a way. He looked at her, catching her staring, and when she looked to the left, York was looking her over.

“So how did you break your arm?” C.J. asked her.

She swallowed hard and avoided his eyes as she chuckled and blew it off as no big deal. “It was stupid. Kind of embarrassing actually,” she said.

“Oh, now you have to tell us, and also where you got the cool black cast,” York said to her.

“I was going to a party, wore heels that were too high, and the bottom got caught in a crack in the cement. I tripped when the heel broke off then I fell, and put my arm down to brace myself and to not land on my face. Hit it just right, I guess,” she said but still avoided looking at them. She felt guilty for lying. She hated to lie, but since planning her escape from Cameron, it was all she seemed to do. “Hmm,” York said and squinted at her. She sensed that he didn’t believe her. She felt embarrassed as she looked at Caroline.

“Well, who would have ever thought high heels were so dangerous?” C.J teased and gave her a wink along with a sexy grin that did a number to her insides. She once again felt her cheeks warm. These men seemed to have that instant effect on hr.

“Well, we’ll let you get back to lunch. It was nice seeing you both,” Shelby said to them.

Shelby turned to ask the waitress for a table when York stopped Caroline by touching her hand. She pulled back fast, on the defensive, and he squinted his eyes at her. Shit, she really was messed up from Cameron. She couldn’t even pretend she wasn’t on edge when it came to a man’s touch or anyone’s for that matter aside from a handshake.

“You staying with your sister for a while?” he asked her. She pulled her bottom lip betwee

n her teeth and nodded then rubbed the hand he had touched. Her body reacted to the man and seemed to react to C.J. as well as her nipples hardened and her heart hammered inside of her chest. She pretty much knew that she was attracted to both men and had a feeling they were attracted to her and would want to learn more about her. That was something she couldn’t do.

“Well, that’s great news. So we’ll see you around.”